Landing carriage for aircraft



Nov. 3, 1931. w. s. GLENNAN 1,830,228

LANDING CARRIAGE FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Oct. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1931. w. s. GLENNAN 1,830,228

' LANDING CARRIAGE FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Oct 28. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 f8; 5 v TOR ATTORN EYS Patented o... 3,1931

UN-Eran; STATES PATENT OFFICEY WILLIAM s. LENnAN, F NORFOLK, VIRGINIA,

j remains CARRIAGE non AIRCRAFT Application filed October 28, 1929. Serial IIo.' l=02,951., I

I This invention relates to a-carriage for,

receiving landing aircraft and hasparticular reference to a device, for luse 0n aeroplane landing fields or the likefor emergency puri poses in'cases where the landing gear of. an aircrafthas become damaged or otherwise ineffective for landing purposes, and'the like.

The damaging of landing gear by engage- I Theprincipal object of this invention is to' provide adcvice of'the type described where by these difficulties may be obviated and which may .b'e-supplied to a landing'field for the expresspurpose of receiving aircraft under-any conditions, especially whenthe landing gear of theaircraft has become ineffecftive, when it'is desired to land the aircraft in a small space, or when the conditions of a landing field aresuch as to prevent the nor mal safe landing of aircraft-.5 1 is These and otherobjects of this invention are obtained in a preferred embodiment consisting of a, frame mounted upon wheels, skids, or other means which render it'mobile,

thisframeh'aving devices forreceiving the, g p

' devices for receivlngthe, landmg craft.

landing craft in such a way that the impact of the-craft is eitherabsorbed completely" thereby, o'rqjointly therebyand by the mobility v of the frame, which respondsto the impact of the landing craft byjmoving over thesurface of the groundiuntil the landing V I p ,7 H

Y a are fitted on the1r top edges wlth flanged rails force of the craft is dissipated. The devices for receiving the'craft maybe any suitable shock absorbing means, whereby. theglanding speed and. impact of the craft are reduced and eventually absorbed; Such devices preferably consist of cushioned membcrsslidably mounted for'movement on the gear.

designate a pair of triangular-shaped trusses frame response to the impact of the craft,

f this movement of the members being retarded by braking means of any suitable type. ,Q Also, separate retarding means are preferably provided in the wayof a seriescof members lying in the path of movement of the craft, these members being progressively overcome by the craft with the resulting effect of progressively retarding its movement, until it has I stopped on the frame, although the frame bearing the craft may continue tomove over "the surface of the ground or thelike; These or separate members may also serve to prevent relative reverse movement of the plane p on the mobile frame when the sudden impact of the heavy craft causes the relatively light l frame tojump forwardly, thesemembers being placed against the rear edges of the wings, whereby the craft is located-in place on the carriage. 1 v

The carriage is adapted to be placed on'an aeroplanelanding field or the like in such a Way that a' craft may land safelythefreon when damaged or under any other conditions. V The carriage is simple in construction, light in weight, and may be drawn from a shed by several men for placement anywhere on the landing field in responseto. a distress signal from a damaged plane. i

For afbetter understanding of this inventlon, reference lsmade tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure l'is aperspective view of a preferred embodiment of the landing 'c'arriage'of this invention-; T

Fig. 2 is a front viewthereof; and 1 Figs. 3 and 4 are. enlarged views of the In thesedrawin'gs numeralslO'an'd 1 1 which are. tied together bystruts 12' and braced by rods 13 to forma rigid frame.

a The triangular shaped-trusses' l0 and ll Hand 15, respectively, these rails tapering mounted inforks 18and 19, respectively, the I 'upper ends of which are slidably mounted in,

shock absorbers 20 and 21,.respectively, which aresecured to the under side of the front ends of rails 14 and 15. The lower ends of trusses and 11are supported upon'swivel- 7 led wheels 24' and 25, respectively, through the shock absorbers 26 and 27, respectively, which are mounted upon the under surfaces "of the rear ends of rails .14 211M115, .respec tively. The carriage thus formed is mobile and strong, and is adapted m withstand a considerable shock.

- 'ISlidably'mountedupon rails {14am 15, are respective triangular plate-like m-embers 28',

and 29, therear ends of which are tapered and depressed 'so' as to slide upon the surfaces 'of'plates 28 andj29 merge with the surfaces of rails 14and 15, as 'shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3.' The front ends of" pla'tes 28 and 29 are turned upwardly in a substantially vertical direction to foringuards 30 and 31 respectively.":Theselguards 30 and are provided withcushions 32 and 33 respect vely,

these cushions being of an'y'soft resilient material such assp'onge'rubber or the like. Se-

I cured to the under sidesofjplates 28 and 29 are yokes 34 and 35, through whichpass the axle rods 36 and "37, respectively. Journ'alled upon "these axlerods 36 and 37 are wheels 38 and 39, respectively, which are adapted to rolljupon'the'upper surfaces of "invention is particularly useful in cases where the landing gear of aircraft is damaged for the rails 14 and 15 A fork 40is connected by rods 41 to the front surfaces of guard platesBO and 31, and'by links 42110 the front 7 edge of plates28iand'29. J ournalled onaxle 7 rod 43 passing through fork" 40 is a third p in Figs. 3 and4.

wheel 44 which also rolls upon theupper surfaces of rails 14 and 15, as shownparticularly Inasmuch as the retarding mechanism' 'are mounted on axles 36,37 and-43, it will be suflicient to describeonly one of them, namely the mechanism mounted on axle .43, which is shownin detail in Fig. 4.- This mechanism includes a pair of slides 45-embracing oppo-- site flanges of rail 15, tliese'slides being slidably mounted upon axle'rod'43 so as .to be movable axially thereon; lhe ends of axle rod 43 are threadedan d carry the adjusting -nuts 46, between which the slides 45 are "mounted the coil springs 47, the adjustment of these springsbeing possible by means of nuts 46, whereby thefrictional resistance of I slides 45 in. the'flanges of rail 15' may be varied. Although thismechanism. has been 'describedin connection with rail 15, the same mechanismjis mounted on rail 14,'since both sides ofthe apparatus are identical.

It' will'be seen that, because of the tapering of rails'14 and 15 from front to rear, the

movement of the'receiving means 29, 31,33 and 28, '30, 32, is retarded as 'it moves from The maximum forward movement of devices 28, 30,; 32, 29,31, 33, is thus limited by their respective stops 48 and 49.

1 Spaced along rails 14 and 15 are a series of stop'members 56, 57, and 58, which consists of padded plates mounted upon horizontal shafts 59,60 and 61,}journalled in bearings "'62-, 63 and6'4, secured upon the trusses 10 and 11. The outer ends of horizontal shafts 59, -and 61 are fitted with cranks 65, 66 and 6?, respectively, whose movement in a'counterclockwise direction is retarded by stops 68, 69 andTO, and whose movement in a clockwise direction is restrained by springs '71, 72 and 73,- respectively, the latterspring being 's'tronger'than the former two springs, and the second spring'72 being in turnstronger than the first spring 71, so that a greater force is required to tilt member 58 forward than is required-totilt member 57 forward, and similarly, a greater-"force is required to tilt member 57 'foward than is required to similarly tilt member 56; 7

It will be seen that the new device of this any reason atall, such. as 'byfouling a tree ior structure-intaking off, or when a loose connection results in the losing of a wheel while taking off or in the air. Even in cases where may be used, because it absorbs the landing shock and reduces-the momentum of the craft by the shock-absorbing means thereon, so that the corresponding forward movement of the carriage is 'inuch less than the travel of the plane-over the ground after landing.

Also, at times when thesurfaceof the ground is so soft as to make safe landing difficult, because of the, digging in of the wheels'and consequent sudden halting which "causes the plane to skid, tilt, or noseover, "the device of this invention will be found particularly useful, because of isgreater stability, larger wheels and greater number of wheels. In such instances, the carriage of this invention is placed on a landing-field or the like heading into the wind, so that as "the'craft lands against the wind, the pilot may guide it into the carriage in such a way that the wings of the craft light upon the rails .14 and 15 and upon the plates 28 and 29, andthe fuselage lies between thetrusses 10 and 11in suspension by the wings, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Inasmuch as the craft is still moving at considerable Velocity, the front edges of, the wings engage the rubber cushions 33 and 34, and the momentum of the craft causes the devicesj28 32, and 2931- 3,3 to be pushed I forward along the rails. Also, the-momen-v tum of the landing craft causes ,thewhole carriage to move over the ground oft-he land ing field, the frictional resistance ofthecarriage in moving over the ground reducing the landing force of the craft. "Also, the-frictional resistance to the slidin of the devices 28' -3032 and 293133 along the respec tive rails 14 and 15 absorbs the momentum' of the craft, this force absorption being produced by the. increasing friction'between the slides and the tapering rails 14 and 15, as

described. f 1 I Y v In addition to these shock absorbing arrangements, the members 56, 57 and 58 are absorb the momentum imparted thereto by the landing craft. In case the devices -28-30 32 and 2931-33 are moved to the ends of the corresponding'rails 14 and 15 because of excessive momentum of the landing craft, the movement thereof is halted by respective stops &8 and 49. It will be seen that the front wheels 16 and 17 are placed considerably forward of the point where the craft comes to rest and that the center, of gravity thereof is low, so that the carriage is perfectly stable and there is no tendency to nose over because of themomentum of the craft. The carriage may be arranged to roll upon rails'if desired, and the wheels may be fitted with brakes in conformance with. well-known practice.

One of the members 56, 57 and 58 performs the additional function of securing the craft on the carriage so that it will not slide backward because of a sudden forward jump of the hole carriage when the craft lands. Taking member 58, for example,'it, will be seen that as the craft tilts it forward because of the momentum of the craft, the-spring 73 thereof immediately returns it to its vertical position after'the wings of the craft have passed, and because the member 58 cannot be rotated backwards as it is prevented from doing so by stop 70, theplane cannot slip backwards 3n the carriage, but is held in place thereon.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described iierein,,it is apparent that theiinvention is tionsunder which the device is used."

jsupport for said frame.

not limited thereby, but is susceptible of many alterations in form" and detail within ts scope,"depending upon the various condi- Iclaim? p '1'. In a landlngicarriage for aircraft, the combination ofia frame, means on said frame for receiving the landing craft, said means be'ingmovablealong said frame in response to theim'pact'ofthe craft, and a mobile 'Sup-- port for said frame.

" a landing carriage {for aircraft,-the comb nation of a frame, shock absorbing means'fmovable alongsaid frame for rece1v g t 'landing craft, and a mobile support for said frame. 1 s

3. In a landing carriage for aircraft, the

combination of a frame, means mountedin said frame for receivingthe landing craft,

said means being movable'relatively to said frame in response to the impact. of the craft, and'means for retarding the movement'of "said means. I v 4 4 In a landing carriage for aircraft, the combination of a frame, means mounted on said frame for receiving the-landing craft, said meansbeing movable relatively to said framein response to the, impactof the craft, and brakes for said'meansacting in proportion to the distance of movement of said means.

5. In a landing carriage for aircraft, the combination of a frame, means mounted on said frame for receivingthe landing craft,

said means being movable relatively to said I frame in response to the impact of the craft,

means forretarding the movement of said means, and a mobile support for said frame.

6. In a landing carriage for aircraft, the combination of a frame, means mounted on said frame for receiving the landing craft, said means being movable relatively to said frame in response to the impact of the craft, and means on said frame for retarding the -movement of the craft along the frame.

7. In a landing carriage for aircraft, the combination of a frame for receiving the landing aircraft, said frame beingmovable relative to its support in responseto the impact of the craft and a series of means on" said frame for progressively retarding the movement of the craft on said frame.

.8. Ina landing carriage for aircraft, the combination of a frame for receiving the landing aircraft,a series of means on said" 'ofthe craft thereon. p 10. In a landing carriage for aircraft, the

frame for progressively retarding the movefgcombination of ta frame,rm0vab1e means on said frame f for receiving thelanding craft,

and a series of members on'said frame for v progressiyelyretarding themovement of the craft on said means. Y

11. In a landing carriage for aircra'ft,the

combination of a frame, at least one rail mounted; on said -frame, "a member slidably wing eraft, said member being adapted xto slide on said rail in response to impaet ofthe cra ft' therewith, means for retarding ithe means for preventing reverse movement-" 0f .15 the. craft'on said member, and a mobile'support forisaid frame whereby it is movable along the ground in response to impact of said craft. H r V i 3 V 121 Inalanding carriage for aircraft, the -'.2 0:combinati0n of a frame, means mounted on said frame for receiving the landingcraft, shock absorbing devices associated With said means, said means and devices being mov able relatively to said frame in response to 25 the,impact of the craft, and means on said frame, for retar ding the movement-0f said v g means' and devices relatiyely to said frame.

In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature. w WILLIAM; S. GLENNAN.

' fmounte d on saidrail for recei ing' the land e i: p 1

m ovement of said member on said rail, and V v 5 

